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Photography And Videography Policy

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Photography & Videography

Introduction

It is extremely important that organisations such as Sports Nut have in place a photography and videography policy, outlining how images of children and young people can be used. Images and videos are often used in publications, on our website, in marketing campaigns and on social networking sites. This policy should be used to help children, parents, staff and volunteers understand how photographs can be captured, stored and shared safely, alongside our Safeguarding Policy.

Why this document exists

It is of the utmost importance that our Sports Nut coaches, customers and children are protected from image misuse. Images and videos of children are personal data under UK GDPR and are handled with the same care as any other sensitive personal information.

Policy Scope

This policy applies to all customers, staff, contractors and volunteers at Sports Nut who capture images and videos on any device, at any Sports Nut venue or activity.

Images and videos captured may be used in the following capacities:

  • Video analysis during session
  • Photo analysis during sessions
  • Sports Nut’s website
  • Sports Nut display boards and premises
  • Marketing publications, brochures and leaflets
  • School publications
  • News outlets
  • Twitter/X
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

How consent works

Images and videos are only used for publications, social media or our website where parental consent has been given. Consent is collected separately for each of the purposes listed above, via Swimphony at the point of enrolment — so you choose exactly what you’re comfortable with rather than giving one blanket permission.

Children whose parents have opted out of photography and videography for any purpose will have a ‘NO PHOTOGRAPHY’ item listed in their medical conditions, which is visible to coaches via Swimphony on poolside tablets. Coaches check this before capturing any images at a session.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting info@sports-nut.co.uk or calling 0330 124 8238. We will action this promptly — the NO PHOTOGRAPHY flag will be updated in Swimphony, and any previously published images will be removed from active use within a reasonable timeframe.

Image/Video Capture Policy

The following policy applies to image and video capture at Sports Nut activities:

  1. Parents and Carers watching Sports Nut activities at any location are NOT permitted to take photos or videos of their or other’s children.
  2. Sports Nut coaches and changing room supervisors are permitted to take photos and videos during Sports Nut sessions, for the purposes of video analysis and technique feedback, as well as ‘Swimmer of the Week’ photos. These will be taken on Sports Nut devices only — never on personal mobile phones or devices.
  3. Sports Nut Approved Photographers will wear a lanyard, identifying them as such, use Sports Nut equipment to capture images, and hold a valid Enhanced DBS check.
  4. External Photographers will only be permitted with the express permission of Sports Nut and accompanied by Sports Nut staff at all times. They must also hold a valid Enhanced DBS check.
  5. Images and videos will only be captured at Sports Nut activities and their locations. Images and videos will never be captured in changing rooms or bathrooms at any of our venues.
  6. All Sports Nut staff have undergone Safeguarding and Child Protection training and are DBS checked. Sports Nut will only employ external photographers who hold a valid Enhanced DBS check.
  7. Photographers and videographers will never be alone with a child whilst capturing images.

General Policy on all images and videos

The following policy outlines how each image must be treated when used in any form:

  1. Images and Videos are only used for publications, social media or our website if parental permission has been captured for that specific purpose.
  2. Images and Videos captured during coaching sessions will be deleted from devices as follows:
    • When used solely for analysis during coaching sessions, all images and videos will be deleted immediately from the device once the session is complete.
    • When captured for use in a marketing capacity (social media or website), images will be saved immediately to a password protected folder and then deleted from the device.
  3. Children’s full names will NOT be used in photograph captions or image filenames. If a child is named in a publication, a photograph of this child will not be used in the same publication.
  4. Appropriateness of images will be considered before use. Activities such as swimming present a higher risk for potential misuse than others, so images of these activities will:
    • focus on the activity rather than a particular child
    • avoid showing the full face and body of a child — instead showing children in the water, or from the waist or shoulders up
    • avoid images and camera angles that may be more prone to misinterpretation or misuse than others
  5. Photographers and Videographers will never be alone with a child whilst capturing images.

Image Storage

  1. Images and videos will be captured on Sports Nut devices only, with the exception of external photographers hired by Sports Nut.
  2. Images captured during coaching sessions, with the intention of use for marketing purposes, will be saved to a password protected location, directly from devices. These images will then be deleted immediately from devices.
  3. Images are stored categorised by activity and will not contain any child names in their filename.
  4. Images are not shared with third parties without parental consent, and are deleted when no longer required or when consent is withdrawn.

Non Sports Nut (External) Photographer Policy

If an external photographer is used by Sports Nut to capture images for marketing purposes, the following points will be adhered to:

  1. Parents and children will be informed that a photographer will be in attendance.
  2. The photographer will wear identification at all times and be DBS checked.
  3. The photographer will be accompanied by a member of Sports Nut staff at all times.
  4. The photographer will have been provided with a clear brief about what is considered appropriate in terms of image content and their behaviour, as well as details of permitted Sports Nut activities and locations.
  5. The photographer will be informed about how to identify — and avoid taking images of — children without the required parental consent for photography.

Concerns and breaches of this policy

If Sports Nut staff, children or parents have any concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography (i.e. the way, by whom, or where photography is being undertaken), it should be raised immediately to the lead Sports Nut coach on site.

The children’s safety is of paramount importance to Sports Nut and we have a safeguarding procedure in place to ensure that reported concerns are dealt with in the same way as any other child-protection issue. Any breach of this policy by a member of staff is treated as a serious matter and may result in disciplinary action. Breaches involving children’s images may be referred to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and, where appropriate, reported to the police or the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Any parent or visitor found to be taking unauthorised images will be asked to delete them immediately. Failure to comply may result in exclusion from the venue.

If you have any questions or concerns you can contact our Child Protection Officer and Safeguarding Lead, in confidence, via this email address: safeguarding@sports-nut.co.uk.

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